After listening to nearly seven hours of testimony over two days, the South Whitehall Township Zoning Hearing Board unanimously denied an appeal on Monday to give Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom permission to have a fireworks display every night during the summer.

Expanding its fireworks show from three holidays to every night for 57 consecutive nights is unacceptable because it would be a new use not permitted under the zoning ordinance, could create a nuisance in the largely residential areas around the park and is a potential safety hazard, Community Development Manager Gerald Harbison said last month in denying the park's request.

The park appealed that decision to the three-member Zoning Hearing Board, which heard arguments from both sides on Thursday and again Monday night before reaching its decision.

According to Jason McClure, vice president and general manager of Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom, the park wanted to shoot off fireworks between 9:30 and 10 each night from June 29 to Aug. 25 to keep the attendance level as high as last year's.

After being denied the first request, though, the park decided to shorten the time of the nightly display from 30 minutes to five minutes and use 3-inch shells instead of the 5-inch shells used during the Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day shows. In addition to reducing shell size, the park agreed not to ignite a type of pyrotechnic known as a "salute," McClure said, which is designed specifically to emit a "loud, explosive bang."

Still, that did not ease the sentiments of about 60 residents who turned out to voice their concerns over the proposal.

Two Vietnam War veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder who live close to the park testified that loud noises are known triggers that could induce flashbacks. Dennis Brozey barely held his composure as he spoke about how PTSD has affected his life, arguing that the sound of fireworks exploding could easily stir up war memories.

Other residents, such as Janine and Robert Forney, raised concerns over how the debris from the fireworks would affect surrounding neighborhoods.

"You have no idea what the impact is going to be on the neighbors. You just think it's going to be a good idea," Robert Forney said. "Can you guarantee that none of that [debris] is going to go out of the park's boundaries?"

In response, McClure assured Forney that the fallout zone, which is determined by code, lies within the park's boundaries. Several resident witnesses, on the other hand, testified that the vicinity of their homes is affected every year by the holiday fireworks displays: blanketing them with smoke, creating excessive noise, interrupting traffic flow and terrifying their pets.

Gary Ward, president of a neighborhood group called the Cetronia Homeowners Association, said three days of fireworks during the year is tolerable — not 57.

McClure said although he was naturally disappointed with the board members' decision, the park has no plans to file another appeal at this time. One of the nice things about being a seasonal attraction, he added, is that enough time can be allotted to find other ways to draw people in and keep them there awhile.